Emerald Ghoul
by Raiba
Summary: He is the younger brother to Kishou Arima and he is half ghoul! But wait how did Harry end up in Japan and where is his family in Britain? This is a story for those who want excitement and adventure, follow Rei as we discover his past and his future unfolds before him. Will he be the savior of the wizarding world or will he bring chaos upon all who cross him. Rated T for violence
1. Chapter 1

I am back from the dead, well that is what it feels like. I have just read all of Tokyo Ghoul and inspiration hit me from nowhere. I will not stop working on In Search of the Heart but the person I had working on it with me has left town so I may be a bit longer on the next chapter. Anyway this is not a Harry is Kaneki or any such nonsense. I will be working on this for a little while and I hope you enjoy as I have.

I do not own anything from Tokyo Ghoul or Harry Potter.

Thanks and please review, I enjoy all criticism.

Raiba

* * *

My name is Karasu Rei and I live in the Twentieth Ward of Tokyo Japan. I have just entered my freshman year at Kamii University, to be honest I am rather nervous. Just recently I moved from the First Ward of Tokyo and have no idea where anything is located. I found a magnificent coffee shop called Anteiku, the people within are a little eccentric but their coffee is divine. I have been frequenting the little shop for the past month only sampling their coffee and while I sip at the nectar with a different book in front of me each day. I do not realize how my life is about to drastically change.

* * *

A young man of eighteen years of age sat down at a table, his hand swiftly opened a book labeled De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem **.**

"Hey Kirishima-san, can you get me a coffee, black today please." The young man requested.

"Yeah I'll prepare one for you." A younger girl with dark blue hair that covers the right side of her face says. "Is today the day you will actually get something other than coffee?"

"No. No thanks I mean. Well I would but I am not that hungry. Maybe tomorrow, right?"

"Keep this up and your blood will have more caffeine then our coffee." The waitress walked away in order the bring the jet haired teen his drink.

The young man who sits alone reading an obscure medical book is none other than Karasu Rei, when standing he stands at 1.83 meters and weighs 83 kilos. His hair is untamed, shoulder length, and jet black. Eyes of emerald stare intently through round framed glasses at the slightly archaic but still relevant marvel of medical knowledge. His pale skin was in sharp contrast to the molted blue scarf he wears on top of a pitch black shirt.

"Here you go." Kirishima set the coffee on the table before walking to another table to deal with a strange blonde haired kid and an introverted black haired teen.

He takes the coffee and sniffs at the scent before taking a sip. 'As always this is fabulous,' he thinks before calling out. "As great as ever, thank you Kirishima-san." The girl looks his way before walking off.

"So, what is your name?" A young woman about the teen's age sits in front of him. She has long royal purple hair and wearing some unobtrusive rectangular glasses. She is wearing a blue sleeved shirt underneath a simple yet elegant white dress.

"Oh…um…sorry. My name is Karasu Rei; might I ask your name." at hearing the name the girl's eyes widened a bit in shock but any motion was replaced with curiosity.

"Hello, I am Kamishiro Rize." She extended her hand and Rei took it in a lighthearted handshake. "I'm sorry but I saw you were reading De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem and I knew I just had to find out more about the person reading it." Shock was in Rei's eyes as no one had ever approached him in such a manner.

"Oh no…your quite fine…I mean it's alright…I am so sorry, I'm horrid at first impressions." Rei bowed his head only to look up when he hears the melodious giggle of Rize. He sees her amused and he thinks to himself, 'well I guess as first impressions go, it has not been my worst.' She stops laughing lightly and turns to Rei.

"Why don't we go out tonight; I know of a good restaurant not too far from here. It has some great food and we can learn more about each other. So, what do you say?" She looked expectantly at Rei who choked on some coffee he was drinking.

"Yeah, I'd love to."

"Great, you know what it is almost four o'clock, let's go now." Rize stood up and grabbed Rei who only had enough time to through more money on the table than was due before he was dragged out of Anteiku, leaving behind his book.

Rei who was struggling to keep up with Rize missed the apprehensive looks on the face of Kirishima. When Rei finally regained his composure he stepped in line with Rize as they walked to the restaurant. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, they arrived and were seated in the slightly overpriced eatery. Rize ordered a small salad whilst Rei ordered some coffee and a sandwich. They spoke amicably about each other and the books each other had read, comparing list of books and pastimes.

Rei learned that Kamishiro enjoyed learning from obscure text but also loved fiction. Whilst Rize learned is that Rei has just started school at Kamii and is going for degrees in chemistry and physics as well as the fact the Rei is left hand dominant.

At the end of the night all food and drink was devoured by both, Rize however suddenly stood up. "I'm sorry but I will be right back." She walked briskly towards the bathrooms leaving behind a slightly confused Rei.

"Well that was unexpected." He spoke to himself before realizing that it was already getting dark outside. Checking his watch, he seemed shocked at the time. "I can't believe it has been four hours." He looked up and saw that Rize had returned.

"Sorry about the abruptness. It's getting late shall we leave." She said in a joyful manor.

"Yes, if you don't mind, would you…would you let me walk you home?" Rei asked uncertainly, hoping the beauty would say yes.

"Oh my, what a gentleman, of course I don't mind." I don't liven to far from here but we will have to take the train to get to there." She smirked at his gleeful look.

"I guess we should leave now." Rei responded, they walked out of the restaurant and Rei soon found Kamishiro on his arm, leaving the teenager redder than a pomegranate. They soon made it on to the train and once again in comfortable silence they waited. Not long after they departed and Rize led Rei to a fork in the streets.

"So which way do we go?" Rei asked seeing the two paths, one well lit and to the left while the other is dark, dingy and to the right.

"My house is not too far from here it is just faster if we cut through here." Rize said pointing to the dark alley.

"Um…ok, well come on then." Rei led the way down the alley but noticed that it was slowly fading into a construction site. He then noticed that the constant pressure on his right arm was gone. "Um Kamishiro-san…" He looked around but did not see her, "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Rei felt pain in his left arm like he has never felt before. It felt like plunging several serrated knives into his skin before ripping them out. The next thing he realized was that Rize no longer had brown eyes but her pupils are crimson and her sclera are ink black. "I should have known…a ghoul…I thought maybe you were decent…but no, you had to take a bite out of my arm…Damn that hurts."

"Really you are not running in terror or screaming about how unfair life is or even begging for your life. I really like the begging you know." Rize said in a blasé manor. Rei just stared at the female ghoul. "I guess that is what I should expect from the brother of the White Reaper Kishou Arima. You taste wonderful by the way."

"Well I guess there goes my background, though why me Ms. Binge Eater? I am no one important, not even my brother cares enough about my wellbeing beyond simple the extent of my own self-protection." Rei despite the strong words was completely terrified, he could not fight the S Class ghoul on his own, he could try though.

"You had such a delectable scent on you at the coffee shop that I could not resist meeting you, but when you told me your name I knew I just had to have you. I was not wrong, you are delicious." Rize licked the blood off of her fingers and her lips. "You know if you…" Before she could finish what she was saying Rei charged Rize quickly and kicked her in the stomach, it did not do anything besides annoy her. As was relevant when each of her six rinkaku speared Rei through the stomach. "I was going to kill you quickly, but now…" Once again she gets cut off but this time it is not from Rei. Steel beams from over one hundred meters fall on top of her at terminal velocity fatally wounding her. This is the last thing that Rei sees before he passes out.

" _ **Step aside girl, I will not kill you if you hand over the child."**_

 _ **"Stay away from him, I would never give you Harry."**_

 _ **"Very well. Avada Kedavra!"**_

* * *

Well I hope you all enjoyed chapter one of the Emerald Ghoul.

Please review and I hope to finish chapter two sooner rather than later.

Raiba


	2. Chapter 2

Well here is chapter 2 of Emerald Ghoul. I am honored that so many of you have followed and favored my story thus far. Thank you for the support and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. I currently edit my work without any beta so I ask forgiveness for any mistakes, however if you spot any major problems do not hesitate to inform me.I do enjoy your criticism so I ask that you review if you like.

I do not own any Tokyo Ghoul or Harry Potter characters, the story however is mine.

Read and enjoy, Raiba.

* * *

'You know, waking up in a strange place is rather frightening. What augments this fear is when the last thing you remember is steel beams falling on top of you. Because of the white light and pale walls I thought I was awaiting judgment as I believed myself to have died. But no, I live on.'

Rei Karasu sat up within a sterile room of Kanou General Hospital. Looking around he notices the scent of the room that smells of anesthetic and antibiotics. Almost gagging on the scent he pushes down the urge to vomit. Second he observes the overly bright white light of the hospital, almost blinding he covers his eyes. Once his eyes began to adjust he begins to feel the bed-sheets rubbing against his skin, the sheets feel like sandpaper and itchy thread.

"Oh dear, you're awake. Let me get you some food, I'll alert Dr. Kanou to you state." A young nurse flees the room leaving behind the heavy scent of cheap perfume.

Rei looks at the door, 'When did she come in…I guess I'm in a state of sensory overload…I can't think straight, these sheets are to uncomfortable.'

The door to the hospital room opens and the nurse walks back in with a plate of standard hospital food, she sets it down and walks out. To Rei each piece looks disgusting but he knows as a student of the medical world, though not yet a pre-med student, that a person should have at least a small amount of nutrition after waking up from a small coma. He picks up a red apple on the plate and takes a bite. The second the red flesh of the apple touches his tongue Rei vomits bile as his body rejects the repulsive piss flavored cardboard.

'Well that was…terrible, utterly disgusting…repugnant really. Well at least I tried. I'll probably get my apatite back soon enough.' Rei sat there and pushed that plate of food and sheets covering his body back. He crossed his legs and sat up. Sitting there he thinks over his predicament of how he is going to pay for the stay in the hospital.

The door opens and an elderly man with greying hair that is neatly trimmed, a white shirt and black tie, along with a standard doctor's coat walks in. "Ah, good to see you up" his face revels a kind grandfatherly smile, "My name is Dr. Kanou Akihiro. I preformed the operations on you that saved your life."

A truly shocked expression passes over Rei's face. "I'm sorry…Did you just say; saved my life?"

"Oh yes dear boy, you were pulled out from under six beams of steel…your liver, spleen, pancreas, and both kidneys had to be replaced due to extreme trauma and irreparable damage. Lucky for you the girl who was also recovered was a close enough match to save your life. She had the same blood type as you and your body readily accepted and assimilated her organs. Sadly, however she did not make it as her heart, lungs, and skull were pierced by the steel beams." Dr. Kanou's grandfatherly look turned slightly sad at the loss of life. "Her tragic and accidental death saved your life young man." His frown receded and he look at Rei.

"Dr. Kanou, I thank you sincerely for saving my life, but I haven't any money to pay you with." I looked apprehensively at the good doctor.

"Oh no dear boy your expenses have already been paid for and you owe me nothing."

Despite being cross-legged Rei bows down, "Thank you so much. I hope one day to repay your kindness." He raises back up and looks at the food solemnly.

"If you can't eat, don't force yourself. It sometimes happens to trauma patients. You should be able to regain your appetite sooner rather than later."

"How did you know that I couldn't eat?" Rei asks this in shock.

The doctor chuckles good-naturedly, "Mr. Karasu, I have been a doctor for so many years I have tend to pick up on the subtle signs that patients exhibit when they are uncomfortable." He looks over Rei once more and smiles, "Well despite your current inability to eat, you are adjusting rather well and recuperating just fine. By this time tomorrow you will be on your way home."

Rei looks up, his emerald eyes shining. "Really? Thank you again Doctor." Dr. Kanou nods his head in slight before quickly leaving the room behind.

The room begins to darken and become colored in a pale rust color as the sun sets. Rei lays upon the bed listlessly thinking of the day's events. The one thought that would never leave his head is that he now possessed the organs of a Ghoul. 'Great, I have the organs of a Ghoul. Lovey, bloody lovely. Well my abnormal RC count is already going to go up; God, I hope nothing else happens. Well once it stabilizes I should be able to eat again. Humph, I guess the Academy did teach me something…oh well at least I get to leave tomorrow.' Rei stares of into the fading sunset losing himself into thought. He did not realize how easily he drifted off into the realm of Morpheus.

 _" **Let's just leave the freak here!" A shrill voice of a woman shrieked.**_

 _" **Really, in the middle of Berlin?" A gruff baritone man responded.**_

 _" **What about a cathedral, they might be able to exorcise the freak of his demonic influence." She cried.**_

 _" **What a great idea! I'll bring that worthless piece of flesh to the Berliner Dom tonight, it's not like one more freak is going to hurt the populace." He announced.**_

 _" **If we are lucky it'll freeze." She said cheerily.**_

 _" **One less freak to worry about I say." He praised.**_

 _" **Good riddance!" She cawed.**_

 _" **It is not our problem anymore." He celebrated.**_

 _" **Our wonderful Dudders won't have to be around it." She cheered.**_

 ** _In the dark a car roars into the night leaving a crying babe on the steps of the Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church: The Berlin Cathedral._ **

* * *

The evening of the next day came slowly to Rei as he waited to be released proper. The evening of the next day came slowly to Rei as he waited to be released proper. As he was released he walked to his apartment, thankfully no less than three kilometers away from the hospital. He walks up the stairs and in his distracted state he collides with the black haired collage freshman from the café.

"Oomph…I'm so sorry I was not watching where I was walking." Rei spoke sheepishly.

"Oh no, it's fine…wait aren't you the guy who was in the accident at the construction site. Karasu Rei, right?" The black haired teen asked incredulously.

"You heard about that, did you." Rei stated uncomfortably.

"Who didn't hear about it. It was on the news and in the morning papers the next day." The black haired teen rambled. "I'm sorry I should go I am meeting with a friend."

Rei just looked at him blankly. The teen moved past him and ran down the street. Looking down Rei picks up a book that the shy boy dropped.

' _Monochrome Rainbow by Takatsuki Sen_ huh, I guess I'll return it to that guy later; though I may read it first.' Rei walks to his apartment; up the stairs he enters room 207. He sighs at the taste of dust in the air before sneezing. "Well first things first, I might as well clean up a bit." He says to the empty room.

An hour later after Rei has clean the apartment he sits down and turns on the T.V. he flips through a few channels before he stops on a medical documentary. 'Hmm well it looks like I can listen to what Dr. Kanou has to say.' Irony has a sick sense of humor as Dr. Kanou speaks of theoretical artificial ghouls and their theoretical creation along with the physiological changes that could occur. That train of conversation started when the interviewer asked about ghoulish physiology compared to humans.

" **Dr. Kanou what would you say are the major differences in ghoul and human physiology?" The interviewer asked.**

" **First of all both humans and Ghouls have a certain type of cell called Red Child Cells or RC Cells, an average human has between two-hundred to five-hundred, while ghouls have on average one-thousand to eight-thousand. There are rare cases of humans that develop Red Child Cell Over-Secretion disease also known as ROS. A rare disease that affects only one in three-million people. This occurs when a human has an abundance of RC Cells, this occurs because humans do not possess an organ that ghouls have, a kakuhou, to store and regulate the RC cells. However, in the rarest of the rare cases, only one in seven-billion people, there are humans that have RC counts that are borderline ghoulish, eight-hundred to one-thousand. Any higher and they are no longer human but ghouls. Though that would be impossible because they would need a kakuhou to keep the RC Cells in cheek without harming themselves."**

" **Dr. you said they would need kakuhou. Would it be possible if the RC Cell and Blood types matched, to create an artificial ghoul?" The interviewer inquired.**

 **Dr. Kanou raised a single eyebrow and smiled. "Theoretically I suppose you could, but then you get into an ethical question of what would be the point of an artificial ghoul: to help combat the threat of natural ghouls, a social experiment, or even the philosophical question of man-made monsters. The idea is preposterous let alone non-ethical and should never occur, it is bad enough we have those ghouls roaming the streets but for man-made ghouls to join that would be disastrous. I would be curious to see what would happen, as you know chaos breeds chaos, and from chaos comes unity."**

 **The interviewer turns to the camera and smiles, "Thank you Dr. but we are out of time, I wish every person at home a good evening."**

With the end of the program Rei turns the T.V. off. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Rei shouts out, realization hitting him. "That doctor turned me into an Artificial Ghoul." Rei slams his hand onto a table smashing easily through the glass. The glass shatters, shards rip through his shirt and pants, hitting his face. He picks up a larger glass shard with his left hand and slashes it across his right palm. The glass breaks and his palm remains unscathed and smooth. Dropping the remaining glass, he walks to the bathroom and gazes into the mirror. Staring back, his right eye is a dull jade pupil upon a snow white sclera; his left eye, a blazing crimson pupil laying on a colorless black sclera.

"I am a freak."

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have a decent idea where this will end up going. Anyway no need to keep you longer, good bye and please let me know your thoughts.

Raiba


	3. Chapter 3

I am so sorry for the insanely late update. Between, work, school, and tutoring someone in trigonometry, I have had little time to type, let alone update any of my stories. Please forgive me but I do hope you enjoy chapter three of Emerald Ghoul.

I do not own anything from Tokyo Ghoul or Harry Potter.

Thanks and please review, I enjoy all criticism.

Raiba

A week has passed, the refrigerator door stands ajar, and shards of a shattered mirror lay upon the dull grey carpet. Scents of rotting food waft throughout the small apartment. Muffled groans are heard from the young man, Rei, curled into the fetal position on the floor. His clothes stained with long dried up tears. Bags have formed underneath his eyes from lack of sleep and his skin turned to a ghastly unhealthy pallor. The room around him is torn asunder as if a hurricane was wrought upon it. A sickly green energy swirls around him, contained to his room but only just. Despite the terrible agony the teen is in, he is somehow unconsciously keeping a reign on the destructive energy. Suddenly a scream rips through the midafternoon sky. Losing control, the sickly green energy suddenly stops its rotation and shoots outward from the pre-adult, shattering the window in his room. Once again, he hears a scream, although from a different person, from his lower back five tails of crimson muscle and green energy emerge causing Rei to cry out. As if on auto pilot Rei stands, his eyes open, one jade while the other red on black. Crouching like a predator, he leaps onto the ledge of his window and jumps to the street.

Following the scent of blood Rei finds himself in an abandoned alleyway in an industrial district. In from of him a ghoul is attacking two humans. Humans Rei might have recognized if he were in conscious control over himself, Ken Kaneki and Hideyoshi Nagachika. One of the boys, Hide, stands over an obviously wounded Kaneki, who is currently on the ground. The ghoul that is attacking the two humans is using a bikaku kagune that curls around his right leg. Slowly he stalks the two before lashing out and kicking Hide into a wall. As he turns to Kaneki, he notices Rei in his sight. Kaneki lays in pain as he watches the ghoul turn to the new arrival. Rei's odd rinkaku lazily swirls in a hypnotizing fashion behind him.

"These are my hunting grounds, my prey. Leave!" The ghoul shouts at Rei but he does not hear him. In response, a primal growl escapes the hunger possessed one-eyed ghoul.

"Fine, be that way. My meal can wait." The bikaku user expressed.

With inhuman speed, he runs at Rei and lashes out with a flurry of kicks only for them to be instinctively blocked by the green tinted rinkaku of Rei.

Four of his kagune tails extend and wrap the attacking ghoul's limbs. Tightening and beginning to crush the ghoul's limbs, Rei's kagune lift the opposing ghoul into the air. His fifth tail pierces the stomach, then liver, and finally a lung.

Removing the blood soaked tentacle from the bikaku wielder, his other appendages violently slam him into Hideyoshi, breaking his neck. The savage neck snapping led to decapitation causing a geyser of crimson blood. The sickly green energy bubbles up around Rei and seems to absorb the blood of both the barely alive bikaku ghoul and the recently deceased Hide. Once the blood is completely absorbed Rei's rinkaku and the energy disperse leaving behind an awakened Rei.

"What have I done?" In shock, Rei questions himself before collapsing like a puppet with his strings cut. Kaneki hears the question barely registering it before he passes out himself. Neither witness a rather large man appear and gather both ghouls before calling the local police to secure Kaneki.

Twelve hours later Rei awakens with a groan, his body contorting into an upright position before hunching over. The first thing he noticed was that he was no longer hungry and the second, he is sitting on a rather comfortable Futon. Quickly uncovering himself from the comfortable kakefuton, Rei swings his legs off the futon, his feet hitting the hardwood flooring. Opening the door into the hallway Rei pokes his head out into the hallway. Light gleams from the stairwell; Rei slides close the door behind him as he walks toward the stairs. A bell rings out from the bottom of the stairs and an audible click from what sounds like a deadbolt locking mechanism. Rei makes his way down the stairs: his feet landing softly on each step.

'Anteiku, the coffee shop? Why was I brought here?'

"Good to see you awake. Although we were expecting it to be closer to tomorrow morning before you awoke." The elderly manager spoke with his grandfatherly tone.

Slightly startled Rei quickly replied, "Mr. Manager, what do you mean by you were expecting me to wake tomorrow morning?"

"Well Karasu, your body was suffering from severe starvation and slight blood loss from your encounter with the other Ghoul." The manager's tone remained neutral. "Tell me, would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Really?" The manager nodded slightly. "Yes please."

A few minutes of calm quiet passed between the two as the Manager hand brewed the coffee, smoothly pouring water in a circular fashion over the roasted coffee beans. Soon enough the Manager handed Rei a cup of steaming coffee, while holding on to his own.

"Thank you." Rei held the coffee but as he prepared to drink, he slowly lowered it.

The Manager raised an eyebrow. "Are you not going to drink?"

Rei sighed. "Everything I ate before tasted fine but…after the incident with Rize…anything I tasted turned to abhorrent bile." Rei set the cup down. "I am afraid that if I drink this then the last decent memories of human food and drink shall be tarnished."

"Karasu, you do not have to worry about the coffee. As it stands, coffee is the only drink that can be consumed by both ghouls and humans for centuries." To show Rei that honesty behind his words he took his own cup and started to drink.

Following by example, Rei sipped at his cup. His eyes widened, suddenly he drank the entire cup without hesitation. "This coffee is amazing, outstanding, fantastic!" Rei blushed lightly as he recognized his outburst. "I'm sorry."

Laughing lightly the Manager set his cup on the counter. "There is nothing to be sorry for Karasu, and thank you for the compliment." His chuckling starting to subside he took on an air of seriousness. "Mr. Karasu I have something to ask of you."

"Yes, what is it that I can do for you?" Rei asked quickly. "I mean you did make me wonderful coffee."

"Anteiku is a safe haven for ghouls in the twentieth ward; we work hard to help ghouls blend in with humans. Because this is a coffee shop, we attract the occasional human, such as what you used to be; and those boys…Mr. Kaneki and Mr. Nagachika."

Rei interrupts the Manager. "Hang on, I…I have a question. Why did you help me? I know you said you are a safe haven for ghouls, but…but that does not tell me why you helped me. I mean I am not a ghoul, nor am I human. I do not belong in either world. Why… did you help me instead of leaving me to die or to be… killed?" Rei shifts uncomfortably.

The Manager smiled kindly. "We saved you because, while you may not be wholly human or perfectly ghoul, you are both. A creature that belongs to both worlds; unlike what you believe you have a place in the human world and the ghoul world. You have the potential to bridge yourself in both worlds and carry on a life where neither species can hope to live. Karasu you are an anomaly that could actually have a good life. That is why we helped you."

"Thank you. I cannot thank you enough and I am incredibly sorry for interrupting you. You said you had something to ask of me. If I can do it, I owe it to you for helping me." Rei spoke adamantly.

"Karasu, I would like you to take a job here at Anteiku."

Well I do sincerely hope you enjoyed it. Review if you so wish and have a lovely evening.

Ja-ne,

Raiba


	4. Chapter 4

**I am back with a new chapter. I am sorry you had to wait over an entire year for you to get this chapter. I am humbly sorry and I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Enjoy and review.**

 **Thank you, Raiba.**

In the streets of the 20th ward walk two men.

The first man is an older, middle-aged man. He constantly slouches over, appearing shorter and less threating while he wears a grey single breast trench coat with silver accents over a white dress shirt and red tie. He is gaunt, with a perpetually insane look upon his grinning face, framed by shoulder length white hair. His eyes are odd, as one seems bulging while the other squints.

To his side, a much younger man. The younger man, in his mid-twenties, stands tall. He wears much like his companion a grey overcoat, however his is open revealing a black suit underneath. A white dress shirt is visible along with a black tie, an interesting silver cross hangs in contrast to the black tie. Short black hair, striking teal eyes, and queer curved eyebrows catch the most attention on his face.

In both of their hands, a metallic silver attaché case rest inconspicuously.

"The 20th ward…" The older of the two men says, "Haven't been here since the "OWL" case, how nostalgic."

The younger man glances to his superior. "We should hurry and find…that parent and child quickly"

With a smirk, "We'll find them, that's why we're here after all." The older man says.

"Slowly, there is no rush, relax and pour the water in circles. Ah, there you go." The elderly manager said as he watches Karasu try to create coffee.

"How is that sir?" Rei askes as the hot water runs out.

The manager pours both of them a cup of the new coffee, keeping one and handing the other to Rei. "Well let's see, shall we." In comfortable silence, they both sip from their cups. A slight grimace comes over Rei's face.

"I am sorry, it is not well made as your own." Rei states apologetically.

With a slight smile, the manager looks at Rei. "Karasu-kun, there is nothing to be apologetic for. For your first attempt at brewing coffee, well, it is an admirable attempt. Coffee, like people, varies greatly. The more effort you put into a cup the greater it will be; however, that greatness depending on various…circumstance, could be either good or bad. All it takes is experience and patience, in time, you may one day be able to brew as well as myself."

Rei's slumped shoulders straightened at the small praise. "Thank you Yoshimura-sama."

"I think it is about time for you to work on the café. What do you think?" the manager looks upon Rei with an appraising look.

"Yes sir, I think I can handle it." Rei replies with a smile.

"I am glad to hear it, Karasu-kun."

"There is one more thing I should mention. As I am sure, you are well aware; Anteiku is a café for ghouls. However, we do allow humans in here, we do this because we want to understand them. We want to blend in. We must learn their personalities and mannerisms, casual gestures and the meaning behind them, and finally with how they eat. Humans for the ghouls at Anteiku are equivalent to living textbooks. Also," with an upturn to his lips, "I really like them…the humans."

"Umm…yes sir." Karasu says hesitantly while looking slightly concerned. 'I wonder what he means by that?'

With a small chuckle Yoshimura knowingly looks a Karasu, "Now, I am well aware of who your elder brother is," his smile turns serious, "so I am sure that I do not have to warn you about the Ghoul Investigators and how dangerous they are concerning ghouls…but, do try and stay away from them anyway."

"I do know of them, well, at this point who doesn't." Rei states, "But, I do know a bit more about them than most people. The Commission of Counter Ghoul…" his eyes drop at the name. "I've been avoiding even mentioning them recently…" emotion heavy in his voice.

Yoshimura looks almost apologetic. "Do forgive me Karasu-kun, but you will have to face him one day."

"I know."

"Let us get you downstairs, I do believe that Touka is on the floor today." The manager says with a forced smile.

The ring of the doorbell sounds through the mostly empty Anteiku as a fleeting form pass out the door, slumped over, an arm cast threaded through a sling, and distressed unkempt black hair. Most notably he wears an eye-patch over his left eye.

Having walked down the stairs and into the lobby, Rei sees the young man pass by. "Was that…"

"Yes, it is." A young woman around seventeen with blue hair says. "Look, don't get sympathetic, he doesn't remember what happened. All he knows is that he was in an accident and was told it was a bad car crash the killed his friend and took his eye."

"How can I not, it is my fault after all." Rei looked dejectedly at the defeated form of Ken Kaneki as he walks from Anteiku, in the pouring rain.

"Get over it, if you try and help him we won't stop you. But, if you reveal, even inadvertently, who we are…" A shadow seems to cover her uncovered eye to reveal a menacing red gleam. "I will kill him."

Rei's eyes widen. 'I don't even know him…but…I do feel responsible.' His eyes glace toward the door. "No…" he mutters.

She shrugs noncommittally, "Look, this is me compromising," she glances toward a coffee pot and gestures for Rei to pick it up. "I would rather be rid of him immediately but 'The Manager' has asked me to refrain, the customers in here though..." Her hand passively waves over the few in Anteiku. "Well, they are under no such restriction. Most certainly, they would hunt him if he found out the truth. Although I don't think our regular customers would do something so savage though." She glances around.

Rei stands in the kitchen as he hand-washes the various cups, trays, spoons, and coffee pots as he contemplates what Touka told him.

'How can I not feel sympathy…or rather how can I not?' Rei thinks to himself. 'I don't even know the guy, and yet I feel as if I should help him.' Sighing he starts to dry off the various objects he was washing. 'Damn it…and if I do help him and he finds out that I was responsible…well…it's better if I just leave him alone.'

"Karasu-kun, you look tired." The kindly voice of Yoshimura chimes.

Rei looks up from the dishes. "Yes sir, I am getting there."

Yoshimura smiles at him, "Would you mind coming upstairs with me, it will only be for a little while."

"Umm… of course, Manager-sama." Rei says hesitantly.

Rei follows Karasu out of the café kitchen, upstairs, and into the private kitchen for the residents of Anteiku. On a small table rest three triangular sandwiches.

"Excuse me; but, sandwiches?" Rei states uncertainly.

Touka stands behind Yoshimura as he speaks. "This, Karasu-kun, is a lesson on being a ghoul."

"We don't need you exposing the moment you go back to Kamii-University." Touka interjected.

"Touka-chan is right. Learning how to blend in is the most basic thing a ghoul can learn if they are to live in the human world, and the first step of the process is learning how to eat. Or more accurately learning how to act as if you are eating." Yoshimura spoke candidly. "Please watch."

Yoshimura picked up one of the sandwich triangles and lifted it to his mouth. An audible _AH_ was heard as he put it into his mouth. Rei's eyes widened as he watched the manger _CHOMP_ on the sandwich and chew on it and then swallow.

"That actually looked as if you enjoyed it, I'm impressed." Rei expressed his amazement.

Touka expressed her disdain, "Go on, try it."

Rei peered in her general direction. "No, I do not think so. I know that human food is vile bile to the mouths of ghouls. I did grow up learning about ghoul and human physiology mind you…also I can say I have first-hand experience with it now." His gaze settled on her. "So, no thanks I would rather not subject myself to that kind of treatment."

"Damn…ruin my fun." Touka said glumly.

"Touka-chan, clam yourself. He doesn't have to eat it. Karasu-kun, it will take some time but you will need to learn how to act as if you are eating. As you learned, if you eat human food you become nauseas because the taste is spread throughout your mouth as you chew the food." He bit into the sandwich again but this time without any chewing he visibly swallowed, "the trick is not to "eat" it but rather "drink" it. You should swallow the food whole, and then take about ten other "bites" while allowing others to hear a slight chewing sound and then swallow. The hardest part is to then make a "pleased" expression as you finish." Yoshimura allowed a small smile to graze his features. "Never allow yourself to forget to vomit the food back up before it has time to digest, though. Otherwise it will deteriorate your health." He glances over to Touka. "Touka-chan, would you like to demonstrate as well?"

A sheepish look crosses her face as she waves the question off. "Today I am not feeling so good, so…"

'I can hardly believe that ghouls have gone to this extent to hide themselves in plain sight.' A determined look crosses Rei's face. "Thank you for the lesson sir, I will learn to do this."

"Do not push yourself to much Karasu-kun, this will take time for you to master" Yoshimura says with a grin.

Returning the grin, "I will do my best Yoshimura-sama."

"Ah, by the way, I have a present for you." Yoshimura says as Touka looks at him with little concealed shock. He pulls out a box and from the box he pulls out a brown looking sugar cube.

Rei looks at the cube with wide eyes. "A…present?"

"Yes, I was thinking. I know you are still against the idea of eating human, your former kin. Although I am surprised with how far you have come. These sugar cubes won't keep you from starving but dissolve one or two into your coffee and any hunger you have will be staved off…for a little while at least."

"That is fantastic!" Rei exclaimed. "May I ask what it is made of?"

"You may, but…it's better if you didn't know." Yoshimura says while smirking.

'Hmph…well…that doesn't leave much to the imagination.' Rei thought before remarking. "This won't sustain it completely. Will it?"

"No." says both Touka and Yoshimura.

"In order for a ghoul to live a fulfilling life a constant supply of food is essential, after all." His gaze pierces Rei. "When the time arises, you will need to eat meat after all."

 **I am alive and I am extremely sorry. I have been busy with work and school. But I must confess I have been lazy and putting this off. As much as I enjoy writing I do not always have a muse pushing my pen. But that is not why you are here. You are here because you want decent stories.**

 **All I ask is that you enjoy this story and leave a review if you would so desire. Love it, hate it, do you want it to continue, or have any ideas, let me know. I am happy that people have reviewed and I am grateful you enjoy this story and I hope to keep it going.**

 **Anyway, ja-ne.**

 **Raiba**


End file.
